Allergic

"I'm allergic to fish," we say to people we don't like every day, right? So why do we become allergic to people? Because they don't fit our ideals, right? So what if you had to share a room in a boarding house with someone like that? Wouldn't you die? So this is how our bodies actually become allergic.

Okay. Now we are going to talk about allergies that people face every day. So when I say allergies, I remember an incident that happened to a close friend of mine when I was a medical student at the University of Colombo. Actually, this incident caused a lot of trouble for several of us. Wait until I tell you the story. A group of us friends, after finishing an assignment and imagining the joy of relieving the stress , went to a restaurant near our campus to eat until our stomachs burst. Anyway, we had a habit of eating on such great days to relieve stress. So, this special rice was the dish they had just introduced in those days. So, Rumesh, me, and a few others went and ordered rice from this place. We were talking about how the sirs had fooled us during the assignment and how we had escaped from them, and we didn't realize it until the food was brought to us. When we saw this rice, which was decorated with chicken, carrots, leeks, green peas, and pineapple pieces, we didn't know where our pride went. So while enjoying this rice, we started chatting here and there. Anyway, the reading was not over, and at that time, we never thought that our fun would be ruined because of this rice. So our Rumesh suddenly said, "Hey, my mouth is a little strange." We all looked at him for a while. "Look, his lips are getting bigger, aren't they? He's also putting on his pants," said Hashini. "Hey, I can't breathe," said Rumesh. So, since we realized that this was not something we could wait for, we quickly went to the hospital with Rumesh. So, after being admitted and treated for anaphylaxis there, we returned to the boarding house with Rumesh. "Buddha Amma! If that happens, I won't even go to a pineapple garden with you," said Nipuni.

Now let's see what happened to our friend Rumesh that day and talk a little more in depth about this allergy.

What are allergies?

An allergy is a condition that occurs in our body due to a misunderstanding. This can even end in death. In this case, something that is usually harmless/harmless to the body is mistakenly interpreted by the body as something harmful and reacts against it. These can be food (in our story, Rumesh is pineapple), animal dander, pollen , dust, mites, tree sap, medicines, plasters or anything else. So a person can have an allergic reaction to one or more of these. What happens here is that our body produces an antibody called IgE against this external substance and it acts.

Types of allergies

Food

Common food allergies we encounter include nuts, shellfish, dairy, fruits, seafood, and red meat.

Hay Fever

This is when dust particles and pollen enter our respiratory tract, causing things like sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes.

Asthma

Asthma patients can usually be aggravated by things like dust and animal dander. Such people must have both allergies and asthma. This is called allergic asthma.

Atopic Dermatitis - Damage

This is called throwing something away when it's touched.

Drug allergy

This is a perfect example of someone falling off a cliff while worshipping at a temple. When people get sick, they go to get medicine. So, what happens here is that they get sick because of the medicine they take. Some medicines can cause allergies in some people.

Insect bites

You think that life is a hive, and when you touch a hive, you see stars, right? So some people may be allergic to the chemicals that enter their bodies when a bee stings. Ants, wasps, and wasps can also cause allergies.

Allergy symptoms

These are not the same for everyone. The symptoms we see vary depending on the way each person's body responds. For our Rumesh, this went to the point of being life-threatening. But that doesn't happen to everyone.

Low-risk characteristics

Sneezing, runny nose, cough, itchy skin

Moderate risk characteristics

Vomiting , swelling, difficulty breathing

High-risk characteristics

Swelling around the face and neck, shortness of breath , dizziness, fainting

This is what we call anaphylaxis , which is a medical emergency . So if you are in this situation, it is best to get to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.

Why do allergies occur?

Although it is believed that there is a reason for everything, there are some things that cannot be found out. So this is also the case. Studies have not proven that this is the reason for allergies. However, it is suspected that allergies are caused by factors such as family history, age, hormonal changes, and the composition of the microbes in the intestines.

How do you recognize an allergy?

So now, if you have one or more of the symptoms we talked about earlier, you should suspect that you have an allergy. So, to confirm that suspicion, you can see a doctor and get advice. Our Rumeshit was also diagnosed with an allergy due to medical advice. So, to confirm this, you can do a few small tests.

1 blood test

Taking a blood sample and checking for IgE antibodies to each potential infectious agent.

2 skin prick test

They take a small amount of the substance they think might cause an allergy and mark it with a small scratch on your skin. Then, if there is a specific reaction there, they identify it as something that could cause you an allergy.

Treatment

You can't just take medicine for everything. Just like we keep allergic people out of our lives as much as possible, the best thing to do is to stay away from things that can cause allergies. Now our Rumesh doesn't even look at a pineapple by mistake. But if something that can cause allergies gets into our body by mistake, there are several treatments that can be given.

1 Medicine

Antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec), corticosteroids, and decongestants can help reduce symptoms.

2 Immunotherapy

This is like giving your body a little bit of the thing you're allergic to and letting it get used to it. Then, over time, these allergic things become normal. Remember that this is something that should be done on medical advice.

3 emergency epinephrine

This is a treatment that is given in case of an emergency, that is, if high-risk symptoms occur. Epinephrine is what you need for this. People who already know they are allergic to something usually have this. Our Rumesh also had this. We injected it into her at the hotel and then took her to the hospital. That made it easier to control her condition.

Simple remedies

Some people have found remedies for these allergies. These are not as effective as medical treatments, but they do show some success.

1 saline nasal irrigation

This cleans the nasal cavity.

2 humidifiers

Increases humidity in the air

3 essential oils

Some oils can help relieve these allergic symptoms. However, they can also make symptoms worse. (eucalyptus)

The best thing is to avoid it.

That means staying away from these allergens as much as possible is the best solution. If you have allergies, seek medical attention. If necessary, keep an EpiPen nearby for emergency use. The most important thing is to keep your environment clean. This will reduce your exposure to these allergens.

Complications

Like in our Rumesh's story, allergies can cause serious problems. Anaphylaxis is something that can kill a person in a matter of minutes. Allergies that affect the respiratory tract can increase the risk of developing related illnesses. If not properly controlled, the situation can get worse.

Allergies in young children

These allergies can also be seen in children. A study conducted by the US National Institutes of Health has shown that 1 in 4 children in the US has some kind of allergy. So, preparation is important.

Everyone's questions

What are the most common foods that can cause allergies?

Milk, sesame, eggs, fish, wheat, shellfish, soy, peanuts, and other tree nuts.

How do we respond in an emergency?

Mild symptoms can be managed with antihistamines. In cases of anaphylaxis, the only thing you need to do is use an epinephrine injector and seek medical attention.

H.M.T.G.U.

Allergies are something that can lead to very serious conditions. So these are things that can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes. If you have allergies, it is good to seek medical advice and keep an epinephrine injector handy in case it is a case of anaphylaxis.

So not only did Rumeshi get completely better that day, but he taught us a valuable lesson for medical life as well as for ordinary life. So, by recognizing this allergy early and taking action, we can minimize the loss of lives.